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Museum

"Wala. Siya lang talaga." 

"So final na yang grow old na walang asawa, ganern?" 

"Oo, ayos lang naman." Wala namang problema dun. Okay lang. Mas gusto ko pa kung ganon. 

"Kaloka. Matagal-tagal pa ata bago ako magka-apo kay Rhian, ah." Hinawakan niya pa ang sentido niya na para bang stressed na stressed siya. 

"Matagal pa talaga 'yon."

"Mahal mo talaga no?" Tanong niya sakin ng mabalot kami ng katahimikan. 

Tinignan ko siya para malaman kung seryoso ba siya at kung sasagutin ko talaga. "Ilang beses mo na ba 'yang tinanong sakin, Ma?"

"Hindi ko rin alam, e. Nakaunli lola mo." 

Bumuntong hininga ako. "Tingin mo ba magiging ganito ako kung hindi?"

"Alam mo ba sina Pia at George, they are both blaming theirselves for what happened to their daughter. Si Prim lang anak nila, e. Napabayaan pa." I know, Mom. Kita ko how they broke down and cried. Kita ko kung gaano sila nasaktan. Kita kong nagsisi sila. "But that wouldn't change a thing." I smiled.. a sad one. "She's gone. Kahit na araw-araw pa nilang pagsisihan 'yon.. hindi na nila mababalik si Prim. Never." 

"Ganon pala talaga kalala no? To the point na.. she killed herself. Pia told me before that night. Their daughter cried and screamed so loud. They're too busy with papers and checking proposals... and then they left the house. Pagbalik nila, they wonder bakit daw sobrang tahimik. So they checked her up." Ngayon lang. Ngayon lang si Mama nagkwento sakin about sakanya because before, I don't listen. 

"Locked pa nga 'yong pinto. So they got alarmed. Pagbukas nila.. there, she's hanging from the ceiling... lifeless. With closed eyes." Napayuko ako. I can't imagine or picture out the scene. I just can't. 

"Parang that moment daw, nag flashback lahat sa kanilang mag-asawa. Yung panganak ni Pia kay Prim, yung masasayang moments pa na hindi naman nagtagal. Kasi kahit naman gaano kasakit ng ulo ang anak mo, mahal mo parin siya."

"Again, Mom, wala na siyang magagawa." I  said coldly. "They didn't appreciate how precious, how beautiful their daughter was. And those regrets won't make her open her eyes or run her blood or pump her heart. Nothing. It doesn't make sense anymore. She's gone anyway. She's 10 feet under." 

Tinapik-tapik niya ang balikat ko. "I'm sorry for bringing this up, Son." Sigh. "Sana when you get there, you can  find acceptance. She will be happy with that." 

"WELCOME, Direk!" Salubong sakin ni Tita Audrey. "Tita, stop with that Direk." Sabi ko at niyakap siya. It's been 5 days, nakadating na rin ako sa Amsterdam. Kahit na ikot lang ako ng ikot sa Tokyo at Hong Kong, hindi naman ako gaanong pagod. Maybe because I just enjoyed it. Kinalimutan ko muna lahat ng problems or stress sa Pilipinas.